Balram In The White Tiger

Balram, the main protagonist in The White Tiger by Aravind Adiga, tells a story from his perspective of his escape from oppression through any means possible. While corruption and cheating may be problems deeply rooted in the lower class, it nonetheless still prevails within the upper class. Hence, The White Tiger suggests that individuals, whether rich or poor, have to sacrifice their morals and values as they fight ruthlessly for survival within a corrupt society. In a community where money entitles one to respect and power, members who are less privileged come to realize that in order to break out of “the rooster coop,” (147) one must be willing to sacrifice everything. This includes, but is not limited to, family and traditional values

In his letter to The Premier, Balram mentions that “India is two countries in one: an India of Light, and an India of Darkness” (12). Because people usually associate “Light” with honor and integrity and “Darkness” with immorality, this results in two parallels, and divides India into two distinct societies. His significant transformation from a “sweet, innocent village fool into a citified fellow full of debauchery, depravity and wickedness” shows that he is someone who will fight for what he wants through any means possible (167). It is not about how one gets there, but rather that one gets there in the end. You either “eat—or get eaten up,” which is represented by _________________ (54). Everything Balram did from when he left Laxmangarh to when he became successful and “helped make new Bangalore” was for his own advantage (273). When Ashok began drinking after Pinky left, Balram told him he had to “believe in god and keep going on” not because he genuinely cared for him, but because he wouldn’t have anyone to “pay him three and a half thousand rupees a month” (159). The selfishness imbedded in him led him to conclude that the only ticket out of darkness was to murder his master, which goes against his personality in beginning when he felt guilty for something as trivial as outing a driver for